The Times. PUBLISHED ON TUESDAY AND FRIDAY AFTERNOONS. FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 1918. THE GERMAN COLLAPSE.

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 7, Issue 426, 15 November 1918, Page 2

The Times. PUBLISHED ON TUESDAY AND FRIDAY AFTERNOONS.

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 1918. THE GERMAN COLLAPSE.

" We nothing extenuate, nor let down aught in malice."

The German collapse has brought about the fall of Kaiserism. That proud War Lord, William 11., the third Kmperor of the German Empire, is a broken man, his maua goue, his power stripped from him, and his vain ambitions crumbled into dust. In popular parlance, William the Bloodstained is " down and out," and there is not one decent human being in the wide world who will not rejoice in his humiliation. Only a few months ago he and his dissolute son, the Crown Prince, were still clanking their swords, prating of victory, and assuring a doubting Germany and her still more doubtiug Allies that all was well. As recently as April last the Kaiser boastfully proclaimed that " the world war cannot terminate in any other manner than by the complete victory of Germany over all her enemies." Again, in May, he said : " The last few months have brought us successes which justify our title to a strong peace, which shall open new roads to victorious German commerce." That most puissant prince, Frednch \YUhelm Victor August Ernst, of abominable fame, persevered in his bombastic clowning, even after his father had begun to publicly admit his recognition of the gravity of the situation. Just a few weeks ago, in characteristic lauguage, he still endeavoured to delude his countrymen with the mirage of victory. Foeh's attacks, he boasted, despite the war map lonce so loved by the enemyi and the daily toll of prisoners and dead must some dav be brought to naught " by our elastic system o! defence." The Germans were running away to fight another day. To this he added that Germany never desired war ' And so on. and so on. He fo''v;ot, apparently, the Lichuowsky revelations. He forgot that in

l'']l tilt- German government was persuaded that Ireland and a pacifist Cabinet would prevent Great interference when France was attacked. He forgot tin. contiuued horrors, that made his talk of German lmmanitv as ridiculous as it was nauseous. But, maybe it was merely a foolish, if a puissant, Prince, shouting to keep his failing courage up. Now he lias nothing left to shout for. His career as a prospective Ivmperor is cut short by his enforced renunciation of his claim to the throne Together, lie and his infamous fathei, twin vil'ians in the world's greatest tragedy, step noin the stage, hissed into obscurity by an indignant world.